As Michael arrived home, flour, salt, olive oil, yeast and sugar lay scattered across the kitchen table. His mother was making his favourite.
“What kind of a pizza is this?” he asked with a frown. “Can’t we buy one?”
Michael knew he had hurt his mother’s feelings. Money had always been a problem after they had lost his father. Michael looked at the pizza’s meagre toppings.
His face broadened into a smile, “Oh, mum. This is better than any store pizza.”
He hugged and kissed her. A tear rolled down her cheek. She knew he said that for her.
The pizza had one special ingredient, a mother’s love.
Ross's Writing Blog 
Happier Than A Pig in Mud
September 5, 2011 at 05:40
The best ingredient of all:@)
Ross Mannell
September 5, 2011 at 06:04
Thanks for the comment.
I agree, the best ingredient of all and based a little on my own life. My mother had struggled to financially get by after the death of my father yet she always kept us fed, clothed and knowing how much she cared. 🙂
claudia
September 5, 2011 at 05:54
Oh, this is a touching one…nice job with the pizza prompt!
Ross Mannell
September 5, 2011 at 06:07
Thanks for the comment.
I aim these at possible child readers so I thought I could write a story to help children become aware of what is important. 🙂
cj schlottman
September 5, 2011 at 07:42
This is lovingly written and tender. and what a delightful young man you have created! I love happy endings.
Namaste……….cj
Ross Mannell
September 5, 2011 at 09:19
Thanks for the comment.
If life can’t always have happy endings, why not in stories? 🙂
Robyn Engel
September 5, 2011 at 09:35
That’s a very sweet story, Ross.
Ross Mannell
September 5, 2011 at 09:40
Thank you for your comment.
Thought I needed a happy ending. 🙂
Dazee
September 5, 2011 at 12:15
So wonderful. sometimes us moms really need to hear things like that. great job.
Ross Mannell
September 6, 2011 at 07:00
Thanks for the comment.
I agree. When, as parents, you try to do the best for your children, the reward is when they show they know how much you care. 🙂
Jo
September 6, 2011 at 06:41
mother’s love can feed more than just the tummy
wonderful take on the prompt
Ross Mannell
September 6, 2011 at 11:03
Thanks for the comment.
True, mother’s, father’s and carers’ love is very important for the well-being of a child once they are fed and have somewhere safe.
Becky
September 6, 2011 at 13:17
Awwww, how sweet is that? Great story!
Ross Mannell
September 7, 2011 at 10:01
Thanks for the comment.
Looking after the neighbour’s two children while she has to attend courses made me more reflective of the needs of children for more than food, water and a place to shelter. 🙂
Karen S.
September 7, 2011 at 00:45
Everything is better and the best EVER! …with a mother’s love!
Ross Mannell
September 7, 2011 at 10:02
Thanks for the comment.
There is a link hard to break father’s can often find very hard to match or come close to achieving. 🙂
Ames
September 7, 2011 at 02:09
Children need to get over the idea that everything needs to be store bought. I really identified with this~ Ames
Ross Mannell
September 7, 2011 at 10:06
Thanks for the comment.
In the commercial world of today, it’s too easy to be drawn in by slick advertising and forget the health and emotional benefits of time taken to prepare food the “old-fashioned” way with love and fresh ingredients. 🙂
Annas Adornments, Sweden
September 9, 2011 at 04:57
Dear Ross,
This is a wonderful text for children as well as anyone who has had a mother who gave her love through good home-cooking. I really like it. It makes me think of my mother and be grateful to her for teaching me how to cook etc.
I love this prompt. I think it has a lot of possibilities to express family-dramas and explore the problems of finding the right person to love.
I am late with my comments; but I’ll try to catch up on older SC-posts.Now that I have found your bog, I’ll be back to visit again.
Best wishes,
Anna
Sanna trys an L-p-pizza for SC wk 70
Annas Adornments, Sweden
September 9, 2011 at 05:04
‘bog’ = ‘blog’
I hate it when I make spelling mistakes that I cannot correct. I can delete a comment on Blogger and rewrite it. My daughter is talking a blue streak in Swedish while I write this in English. So I’ll just have to stop.
Kind regards,
Anna
Sanna trys an L-p-pizza for SC wk 70
Ross Mannell
September 12, 2011 at 20:36
Thanks for the comment. Sorry for the delay in writing a reply. My internet connection has been down for four days.
Your comments are very positive. As far as a spelling mistake is concerned, I know what you mean. A number of times I’ve posted a comment only to realise there was an error.
Jenny Matlock
September 18, 2011 at 01:09
What a poignant little story.
It’s that homemade pizza he will remember in years to come. And his Mom making the effort to make him happy…despite her own personal sadness and difficulties.
I really liked this. Beautifully written!
Thank you for sharing your word-crafting with us.
Ross Mannell
September 18, 2011 at 08:42
Thanks for the comment.
Experiences such as this in childhood build the misty memories as we get older. I can still remember helping my mother cook cakes when I was young. 🙂